Biota of Rye Nature Center and Preserve's Journal

Journal archives for
March 2020

March 26, 2020

Welcome to the Friends of Rye Nature Center’s “Biota of Rye Nature Center and Preserve” iNaturalist project. This project was created in 2015 and has continued to present. We want to encourage you to become a citizen scientist by joining this project to make nature observations and adding them here. Simply select “join” to begin participating in the project. This online social network brings us together to learn more about nature while crowdsourcing data on biodiversity. By using iNaturalist, we can better understand the nature preserve and also our own communities. Below are two main goals of using iNaturalist:

Primary Goal
-Connect people to nature, help them learn about it and share the significance of protecting it.

We can use our phone’s iNaturalist app or our computer’s web browser to make observations by uploading photos, identifying, taking notes, geolocating and sharing for possible research grade verifications. While doing this it is important to consider the best ways to provide the most information possible:

1. When taking photos, take several from different angles, of various parts, up close, far away, and even with an object next to it for scale.

2. To identify, use existing knowledge and educated guesses. Also, be sure to use the shape and color recognition software built into the identify feature of iNaturalist. It is best to at least try to identify which biological kingdom you are observing. (i.e. plant kingdom).

3. Record notes to best describe when applicable the object’s appearance, behavior, smell, sounds, and/or feel. Use caution and please be sure to leave nature as undisturbed as possible and as you found it.

4. Geolocating (mapping) features of phones and computers also play an important role in recording where the observation was made. This can be helpful to relocate and perform follow up protection efforts. If an endangered or rare organism is found the location visibility option should be set to obscured or private.

5. By sharing to specific projects and within the social network of iNaturalist, data can be reviewed and further identified. With two or more positive confirmed identifications your contribution can be considered a research grade observation!

Follow along on our journey as we share our findings! If you do join us, please be sure to respect nature with “leave no trace” ethics and most of all have fun! Happy exploration and adventures await you! It’s never too late to participate, so come on out! See you soon.

*March 26, 2020 Special Statement*
FRNC has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic situation in our area. The health and safety of this community is our top priority. In response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Westchester and New York State, Rye Nature Center will be closed from Saturday, March 14 through at least Sunday, March 29. Our grounds will remain open daily from dawn until dusk. We encourage you to spend time outside enjoying nature and exploring the trails while utilizing "social distance" and CDC guidelines. Additionally, please note that if you visit the Nature Center property the nature center and access to bathrooms will be unavailable during this time. Stay safe and healthy!

What is the City Nature Challenge?
Invented by citizen science staff at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (Lila Higgins) and California Academy of Sciences (Alison Young), the City Nature Challenge is an international effort for people to find and document plants and wildlife in cities across the globe. It’s a bioblitz-style competition where cities are in a contest against each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can find the most species, and who can engage the most people.

***In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s City Nature Challenge is no longer a competition. We want to embrace the collaborative aspect of the CNC this year and the healing power of nature to allow people to document their local biodiversity in whatever way they can***

Why participate in the City Nature Challenge?
There is nature all around us, even in our cities! Knowing what species are in our city and where they are helps us study and protect them, but the ONLY way to do that is by all of us – scientists, land managers, and the community – working together to find and document the nature in our area. By participating in the City Nature Challenge, not only do you learn more about your local nature, but you can also make your city a better place – for you and other species!

Create your own iNaturalist account:
-Visit iNaturalist.org
-Download the app from the AppStore or Google Play
-Sign In
-Start sharing your observations
-Get feedback from actual scientists, experts, and other naturalists